Pneumatic cleaner



July 19, 1938. D. B. REPLOGLE PNEUMATIC CLEANER Filed Jan. 30, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 D. BJPEPLOGLE,

July 19, 1938. I D. B. REPLOG LE PNEUMATI C CLEANER Filed Jan. 30, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 D. 5.1?EPLOGZE;

' July 19, 1938.

D. B. REPLOGLE PNEUMATIC CLEANER FiledJan. so, 1937 5 Sheefs-Sheet 5 v gnaw 1m D. B. REPL OVGLE,

Patented Jul 19, 1938 PNEUMATIC CLEANER Daniel Benson Replogle, Berkeley, Calif., assign- I or to The Ohio Citizens Trusticompany, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation oi Ohio, as trustee Application January-"30, 1937, Serial No. 123,286

2'9 Claims.

The invention relates to pneumatic cleaners, and more particularly to manually portable suction cleaners comprising (1) a wheeled body portion which generally includes the suction pro.-

ducing fan having an exhaust outlet, (2) a handle movable with reference to the body portion and (3) a dust collector bag supported by the handle. In cleaners of this type as heretofore employed, the neck of the dust collector bag has generally been secured directly to the exhaust outlet of the fan, and accordingly when the handle is moved upwardly and downwardly, in ordinary cleaning operation, flexing of the bag particularly at the neck thereof, necessarily results.

For this reason dust collectorscomposed of paper alone have generally been found inadequate, since there is danger of the paper splitting or breaking at the point where the strain is exerted, and accordingly more expensive bags composed of fine mesh cloth have been employed with cleaners of the swinging handle type. Where cloth bags are employed as the filtering means, such bags are generally too expensive to be thrown away when fllled with dust, and accordingly it is necessary to empty the dust from such bags, which is an unsanitary proceeding.

The use of porous paper dust collecting bags with pneumatic suction cleaners has been proposed, but prior to the present invention the only successful use of such bags has been in conjunction with cleaners of a type in which the cleaner handle is rigid with the body of the cleaner whereby strain on the mouth of the bag is avoided, such a cleaner lgng illustrated in my Patents No. 1,345,550 dated July6, 1920, and No.

1,416,876 dated May 23, 1922.

As stated above, an ordinary porous paper dust collector bag which is sufliciently cheap tobe thrown away, cannot be successfully employed with a cleaner of th swinging handle type unless special recautions are taken to prevent strain particularly on the mouth portion of the bag, since if the mouth of the ordinary unreinforced paper bag is connected directly to the rigid exhaust outlet of the cleaner the bag will soon be ruptured by the strain to which it is subjected by the repeated movement of the handle, resulting in spilling of the contents of the bag.

The danger of rupturing the bag may be lessened by suitably reinforcing the paper of which it is composed externally, or internally or on both surfaces by means of a netting or cover ,of relatively coarse mesh material which permits the air to pass freely therethrough, while at the same time suitably supporting the porous paper when the dust collector bag is inflated.

According to my invention the mouth of the the mouth of the bag when the handle is flexed.

Means are also provided for supporting the mouth of the bag from the handle whereby the movement of the handle is absorbed by the flexible tube without strain on the bag. The flexible connector may be either in the form of a separate tube, which may be of rubber or rubberized material of sufficient length and flexibility, or the neck of the bag may be sufllciently reinforced as by means of netting adhesively secured to the surface of the paper, to permit the neck to be-secured directly to the fan discharge outlet.

Even an unreinforced paper bag, which may be very cheaply manufactured, may be employed with a cleaner of the swinging handle type where special precautions-are taken to confine the locus of flexibility wholly to' the flexible connector, thus eliminating strain on the bag mouth. In such cases however it may sometimes be found desirable to provide an outer reinforcing covering which may be removable from the inner bag, such as is set forth for example in my Patent No. 1,416,876 dated May 23, 1922, since the outer covering may serve as a protection against rupturing of the bag proper by contact with outside objects, such as furniture and the like.

The present application is a continuation-inpart of my application Serial No. 499,575 flled December 2, 1930 and of my application Serial No. 552,050 flled July 20, 1931.

The principal object of the present invention is which communicates with the fan discharge outi let and which is of sufficient length, strength and flexibility ing. I

Another object of the invention is to provide suitable means for supporting the bag,'particularly adjacent the mouth thereof, so that the locus of flexibility will be confined to the flexible neck or connector.

to absorb the strains without ruptur- Other objects will be apparent from the fur-' ther detailed description.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings and the further detailed description in which are set forth for the purpose of illustration certain specific embodiments which are intended as illustrative only but not as in any way limiting the invention to the precise details set forth.

In the drawings:-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a cleaner and bag embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a detailed section on line 22 of Fig. 1 showing the means for supporting the bag neck.

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing one of the flexible conduits or connectors used in this embodiment of my device.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of a modified form of bag adapted for use with the cleaner shown in Fig. 1 as well as with the other forms of the cleaner herein disclosed.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a cleaner and bag showing another embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-45 of Fig. 5 showing the support for the bag neck.

Fig. '7 is a side elevation showing a cleaner of the type shown in Fig. l equipped with a bag mounted in a wire cage.

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7 showing the support for the neck of the bag.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation showing the invention applied to a conventional form of cleaner and employing a different form of bag provided with an integral reinforced neck.

Fig. 9a is a detail view of the bag supporting member.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a cleaner similar to that shown in Fig. 9 but equipped with a reinforced bag and a separate flexible connector or neck.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation showing a further modification wherein the cleaner is equipped with a guard frame which supports the bag and bag neck and a portion of which serves as a housing for the conduit supplying current to the fan motor.

Figs. 11a and 111) are details showing the'bag supporting member.

Fig. 12 is a further modification wherein a cleaner of the type shown in Fig. 1 is provided with a bag externally reinforced by fabric netting throughout its extent and supported from the cleaner handle at its rear end and adjacent the neck of the bag.

Fig. 13 is a detailed section showing material from which a bag may be manufactured and composed of porous paper reinforced with netting on both sides thereof.

Fig. 14 is a similar view wherein the paper is reinforced on one side only.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary plan view showing a netting reinforced surface.

Fig. 16 is a similar view wherein a different form of reinforcement is employed.

The cleaners herein described are of the portable type and each includes generally a wheeled body portion comprising a floor tool, and a motor driven fan having a discharge outlet. The body member is adapted to be moved to and fro across the floor, and for this purpose is equipped with a handle swingingly connected with the body which handle serves as means for moving the cleaner. A dust collector element-is suspended beneath the-handle and may be composed wholly dust.

or in part of porous paper, which is cheap enough so that. it may be thrown away when fllled with A flexible hollow conduit or connector either integral or separate from the .bag mouth extends between the bag and the fan discharge outlet.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1 reference numeral I0 denotes a casing housing a motor (not shown) which drives a fan I2 mounted within a fan casing H and having a discharge outlet 13. A rotatable valve cap I4 such as is disclosed in my Reissue Patent No. 16,224 is provided at the inlet to the fan chamber and is adapted to connect the fan chamber with a passage l5 leading to a floor tool l6, or by reversing the valve to connect the fan chamber to a passage I15 communicating with a hollow suction handle through a flexible tube l1. One such tube is shown in detail in Fig. 3 although it will be understood that various forms of flexible tubes may be employed. In the form shown the tube is of the armored type being composed of relatively stiflf sections flexibly connected one to the other so that the tube is of very substantial construction while at the same time readily yielding to up and down movement of the handle. The tube is adapted to be removed when desired and may be replaced 'with another flexible tube, of any suitable character.

The removable handle represented by the reference numeral I8 is of the suction type and preferably composed of hard fiber, bakelite or other non-conducting material as disclosed in my Patent No. 1,292,963, dated January 28, 1919, altho a metal pipe may be employed if desired. A lead wire I9 supplying current to the fan motor runs along the side of the suction handle l8 and where the handle is of non-conducting material it will be evident that no danger of short circuiting will be involved.

The handle I8 is hingedly mounted with reference to the body member. As shown a collar 20 is provided adjacent the fan outlet l3, said collar being provided with a pair of branching bracket arms 2|, one only being visible in the side elevation. To the outer ends of said arms are hingedly connected another pair of bracket arms 23 projecting from a collar 24 into one end of which the hollow handle l8 fits while the flexible tube l'l fits into the other end. Both the handle I8 and tube I! are removable from the collar 24.

A cleaner bag 25 is composed principally of porous paper which may be reinforced as by 'meansof fabric netting composed of widely spaced strands 26 to give added strength. In Fig. 1 the netting is shown as internal and in Fig. 12 the netting is external. The bag may be cheaply constructed by gluing the strands to the paper during the course of manufacture of the bag, or the bag may be equipped with a more expensive removable cover. Where permanently attached strands are employed the entire bag is sufliciently cheap so that it may be thrown away when filled with dirt but when,

a separable cover is employed only the inner bag will be thrown away. A suitable clasp I 26 may be provided at the end of the bag remote from the mouth thereof, the same being suspended from the handle l8 adjacent its rear and upper end.

As shown a flexible tube 28 communicates with the interior of the bag preferably through the medium of a separate thimble connector or deflector 29 which may be similar to the deflector shown in my prior Patent No. 1,416,876 dated May 23, 1922. This deflector is preferably rigid and accordingly lends rigidity to the mouth of the bag serving to hold the same open. As shown the mouth and neck of the bag, the thimble or deflector and the end of the flexible tube 28 are all supported by a link or loop 30 suspended from a hook 3| at the lower portion of the handle. The link 30 supports the weight of .the connector.

This link or loop may be simply a metal ring or may be of flexible or elastic material having sufficient strength to support the weight of the connector members and confines the locus of flexibility to the relatively strong flexible tube 28 thereby avoiding strain on the bag adjacent its mouth. This tube may be of armored construction similar to the tube I! or may be of rubber or rubberized material, as illustrated in Fig. 4, so that all the flltering takes place within the bag itself rather than in the connection. However the flexible connector where suitably reinforced, may be integral with the bag itself and may have some porosity, as illustrated in Figs.'9 and 12. It will be noted that the axis of the hinge 32 connecting the brackets 2| and 23 passes centrally through the hollow tube 28 intermediate its ends so that the handle and bag both swing about the same pivot point, this being an additional factor in reducing the strain on the bag mouth. This feature is claimed in my prior application Serial No. 499,575 flled De-' cember 2, 1930. a

In Fig. 4 there is shown a modified form of bag and flexible tube which are adapted to be used with the assembly shown in Fig. 1 or in other forms of cleaners hereinillustrated. The bag 25a is shown as composed of unreinforced porous paper into the mouth of which bag there is inserted a flexible tube 28a one end of which fits into the mouth of the bag and serves as a deflector 29a while the other endis adapted to be connected to the fan discharge outlet. The connector and bag mouth are adapted to be supported by link 300. from the handle just as in the previously described embodiment of the invention so that strain "on the bag is relieved. The tube 28a together with the deflector on the end thereof may be composed of non-porous flexible materialsuch as rubber or rubberized fabric. It will also be understood that this form of bag and connector may be used in assemblies other than'those herein illustrated. The bag itself may be reinforcedin any suitable manner, either externally or internally or both, the reinforcement being either permanently secured to the surface of the paper or removable therefrom. I

In Figs. 5 and 6 there is shown a modified form of cleaner of the general type disclosed in my Patent No. 2,009,455 dated July 30, 1935 wherein certain details of construction are speis preferably permanently secured in place as distinguished from the "construction described in connection with Fig. 1 wherein the connector I1 is removable. In the present form of apparatus the brackets 2Ia and 23a are hinged at 32a, the axis of such hinge passing through the center of the tube Ila. Flexibility between the bag 25 and the fan outlet I3 is provided by means of an elbow connection 28b which insures a fluid tight joint while at the same time permitting free movement of the handle andv the cleaner bag attached thereto. This connection is more specifically described in my Patent No. 2,009,455. The link 30a is similar to the link 30 of Fig. 1 and may be composed either of flexible material such as rubber or may be a metal ring. In any event the locus of flexibility is substantially conflned to the elbow joint 28b. The dust collector bag 25b is preferably composed of porous paper and may be provided with an outer reinforcing cover 26b of cloth or other suitable fabric having a mesh relatively large as compared with the mesh of the porous paper as set forth in my Patent No. 1,416,876. The inner bag. may be removed from the outer cover and as shown the outer cover is provided with an extended opening along the bottom and preferably including the front end, which opening may be provided with a zipper closure 39 thus .permitting the paper-bag to be removed when In Figs. '1, and 8 there is shown a cleaner body 2 and handle similar to what is illustrated in Fig. 1, and accordingly these parts need not be again described in detail. In this cleaner however the paper bag 25 is shown as'externally reinforced by means of a wire netting or cage 40 which, as shown, is hinged atthe bottom at ll and is adapted to clasp the bag between the two halves of the cage. Clasp members 42 of any suitable construction may be employed for releasably securing the assembled bag and support to the handle of the cleaner. At the front of the cage 40 there is provided a yoke or bracket member 43 which clasps the neck of the bag when the two halves of the cage are clamped together as best illustrated in-Flg. 8 at'the junction between the flexible connector 28c and the deflector 29c.

This yoke member accordingly serves as a substantially rigid support for the bag mouth and neck and for the mating ends of the flexible connector 28c and deflector 29c and. as shown extends downwardly from the handleto which it is rigidly clamped. The remainder of thecage serves to reinforce and support the paper bag- 'while permitting air to flow freely therethrough. The flexible connector 280 may be composed of rubber, rubberized material or may be of the armored type or if desired a swingingly flexible connector similar to what is shown in Fig. 5 may be employed with a bag enclosed in a wire cage.

It will be noted that the cage includes a number of longitudinal wires 0 substantially coextensive with the length of the bag, connected at their front ends to the wi es which form the yoke or bracket 43 and whic serve as stiffening means for the inner bag. In this manner the locus of flexibility is substantially confined to the flexible connector or neck 28c thereby relieving the bag .of strain. If desired the paper bag may be further strengthened by mosquito netting or other fabric of relatively coarse mesh contacting externally and/or internally with the paper, which netting may be in the form-of anouter bag either secured to or removable from the'paper,

as already described in connection with other embodiments of the invention.

In the various forms of device heretofore described cleaners of the suction handle type as represented by my Patent No. 1,292,963 dated January 28, 1919 have been disclosed. The invention in its broadest aspects-however is not confined to use with this type of cleaner. Thus in Fig. 9 the invention is shown applied to a swinging handle cleaner of conventional type ineluding a floor tool Hid, a fan motor Hid located at the top of the body and above the fan casing instead of underneath as in the form previously described, the fan casing having a fan discharge outlet l3d.. The handle l8d may be of any suitable type and as shown detachably fits into a. collar 24d having forked bracket arms 23d (one only being shown) pivoted tothe body of the cleaner as at 32d.

The dust collecting and air filtering bag 25d is composed of porous paper and the neck 28d of the bag is shown as externally reinforced with netting which may be adhesively and permanently secured thereto. The neck or flexible conduit 28d as shown is integral with the remainder of the bag and may be rubberized if desired to prevent passage of air therethrough or may be left porous. Sufficient reinforcement may be provided by the integral netting to permit the neck to be directly secured to the outlet pipe lid without any intermediate separable connection.

To avoid strain on the unreinforeed portion of the bag particularly adjacent the neck thereof a rigid member 43a extending downwardly from the handle id and attached thereto supports the upper end of the bag neck adjacent the bag itself and confines the flexure to the reinforced portion 28d which is sum'ciently strong so that it does not rupture even under repeated flexing. The function of this member a is thus generally similar to that of the yoke or clasping member 43 described in connection with the embodiment shown in connection with Figs. 7 and 8. The rigid member 43a supporting the bag mouth from the handle may be extended downwardly along one .end of the bag and a brace member ll attached at its upper end to the handle may be employed to give the same additional rigidity.

The rear end of the bag is shown as provided with a clasp member "611 which may be detachably secured to the handle lid. It will also be understood that the brace member I is detachable from the handle, and having been so de-' tached the other bag supporting members may be removed from the handle leaving it free for the attachment of any other=type of bag. Ordinarily the bag will be removed by simply detaching the neck 28d from the fan outlet lid and then withdrawing the bag rearwardly'so that its neck slides out of the loop in the attaching member 43a.

A similar rigid neck support may be employed if desired for the other forms of bags herein disclosed; thus in Fig. 1 a rigid bracket may be and not only for the neck portion. Such reinforcement may be either in the form of an integral netting or may be a removable cloth cover or a wire cage as disclosed in the previously d scribed embodiments of the invention.

One such modification is shown in Fig. 10 wherein a cleaner like that illustrated in Fig. 9 is shown provided with a bag I25d reinforced externally by suitable netting which may be adhesively secured to the paper or may be in the form of a removable cloth or wire cover. The flexible connector or neck l28d is shown as detachably connected at one end to fan outlet lid and at its other end to a stiff collar or insert 29d similar to what is disclosed in my Patent No. 1,416,876, which insert serves to hold the bag mouth open. The bag mouth portion and the meeting ends of the flexible connector HM and collar 29d are supported within the loop. of the rigid supporting member 43a so that the locus of flexibility is confined to the neck l28d which may be of rubber, or other suitable material, preferably non-porous. a

In Fig. 11 there is shown a cleaner having a.

body portion similar to what is shown in Fig. 1 except that the motor lOe extends directly rearwardly instead of downwardly and rearwardly from the fan casing l le. A body such as is shown in my prior Patent No. 1,292,963 dated January 28, 1919 may be suitably employed. 'In this construction a loop 43b which forms part of a U-shaped bag supporting member 50 attached to the handle rigidly supports the bag mouth as well as the mating ends of the deflector 29c and the flexible hose 28c. This U-shaped frame is connected to the handle l8e which handle detachably fits into the collar Me. In this form of device not only is the neck of the bag rigidly supported as in the embodiments shown in Figs. 9 and 10 but the U-shaped member 50 extends the entire length of the bag and serves as a guard frame therefor, the bag being detachably connected at three corners by clasps while the fourth corner is detachably supported within the loop 43b. A portion of-the guard frame and bag supporting member may be made-hollow so as to constitute a housing for the electrical conductor Me which supplies current to the fan motor llle. In this form of device the flexible mem-'- bers lie and 28a are preferably removable and replaceable, this being also true of the handle lle which may be withdrawn from the bag supporting member by simply rotating the handle to unscrew it from the collar 24c after which it may be withdrawn rearwardly.

The cleaner is provided with a suitable nozzle or floor tool lie of any desired form, and a rotatable valve lle, similar in function and in operation to the valve I. described in connection with Fig. 1, may be employed for selectively placing the floor tool lie or the suction handle l8e in communication with the fan I2e, as more fully described in my Reissue Patent No. 16,224. The U-shaped frame is connected to the body of the cleaner by means of hinged brackets 2 la and He, their pivotal axis 32c passing through the flexible connector 28c, one end of which communicates with the fan outlet l3b while the other end is connectedto a collar or deflector Me which .enters the bag mouth, as described in connection with Fig. 1. The bracket arms lie extend from a collar 20c surrounding the fan outlet, while the bracket arms 23a are shown extending from the collar forming the loop or eye b into which snugly fit the mouthof the bag and the meeting ends of the flexible connector and of the collar or deflector 29c.

These members are thus rigidly supported by that portion of the frame 50 which extends downwardly from the handle, while the three clips 5| application Serial No. 499,575 in which application certain details of construction are specifically claimed.

The bag 25e may be of porous paper reinforced or not as desired or may be provided with a separable outer cloth cover such as is shown in my Patent No. 1,416,876 for example. The bag might be provided with an integral reinforced neck such as is shown in the embodiment set forth in Fig. 9, such neck being connected to the fan outlet without the use of an additional flexible hose.

present modification however the bag is shown as externally reinforced throughout its extent by means of suitable netting 26) preferably adhesively secured thereto, thebag being supported from the handle IN by means of a loop 30f which in this case is provided with a clasp which engages the outside of the bag adjacent the neck portion, this arrangement being possible owing to the reinforcement of the bag. The mounting of the bag as herein shown confines the locus of flexibility substantially to the extended neck of the bag. If desired a loop similar to those shown in Figs. 1, '7, 9 or 11 may be used for supporting the bag neck from the handle. A ro-. tatable valve I 4 serves to selectively place the suction handle if or the floor tool I61 in communication with the fan (not shown) according to the position of the valve.

Whilevarious types of reinforced paper bags have been described and also various types of cleaners it will be understood that these forms are illustrative only and that the various modifications of the bag may be employed with dif-- been suggested be thrown away. Various forms of reinforcements are suggested in Figs. 13, 14, 15 and 16.

In Fig. 13 the body of the bag 25 is composed of porous paper 25 and to both surfaces of this paper a netting 26 may be adhesively applied.

The reinforcement may be of cheap material such as mosquito netting. In Fig. 13 the setting is shown applied to one surface only of the paper. In the formed bag it will be obvious that this reinforcement may be either inside or outside, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 12 for example.

If desired the netting may be rolled into the pulp during the course of manufacture without the use of an additional adhesive. Such a construction is contemplated in the surface shown in Fig. 15. Where the threads are applied after the paper has been manufactured care should be exercised to avoid spreading the adhesive over the surface of the paper thus reducing the porosity of the filter, it being desirable that the adhesive be confined only to the points of contact between the netting and the paper.

In Fig. 16 the reinforcement is shown in the form of irregularly arranged fibers within the paper itself which fibers may be incorporated into the paper during any suitable stage of manufacture.

These methods of reinforcing the paper and also methods of forming the bag are described in greater detail in my application Ser. No. 552,050 to which reference may be had for further details.

It will be understood that the various types of reinforced bags herein described may be used with any of the forms of cleaners disclosed herein and also with other cleaners which are adapted to the purpose of the present invention. Numerous variations and modifications within the spirit of my invention will be suggested to those skilled in the art and these are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

The present application being a continuationin-part of my applications Serial Nos. 499,575 and 552,050, the entire disclosures of such applications are hereby incorporated by reference as part of the present description. I

I claim:---

1. In a suction cleaner, having an exhaust outlet pipe and' a hinged handle; a dust collecting and air filtering bag carried by the handle and composed of reinforced porous paper, a strong flexible connecting neck communicating at one end with the mouth of the bag and at the other with the outlet pipe, and means for supporting the mouth of the bag from the handle, whereby the movement ofthe handle is absorbed by said flexible neck.

2. In a suction cleaner having an exhaust outlet pipe and a hinged handle; a dust collecting and air filtering bag carried by the handle and and air filtering bag carried by the handle and composed of reinforced porous paper, and a nonporous flexible connecting tube interposed between the mouth of the bag and the outlet pipe, and means for so supporting the mouth of the bag from the handle that the movement of said handle is absorbed by said flexible tube without.

strain on said bag. I

4. A suction cleaner having a swiveled handle and an air filtering bag, comprising an inner porous paper receptacle and an outer reinforcing receptacle of relatively coarse mesh fabric with which the inner receptacle contacts when the bag is inflated, said bag being connected to the exhaust of said suction cleaner, and attached at its upper end to said handle, means for supporting the neck of the bag from the handle of the cleaner, and a flexible connector extending between the exhaust of said suction cleaner and the mouth of said bag forming the locus of flexibility between the exhaust of said suction cleaner and said bag.

5. In a suction cleanena body having a discharge outlet, a handle hingedly mounted with reference to said body, a porous paper dust collecting and air filtering bag adapted to be carried by the handle and having a reduced neck,

a flexible tube connecting the discharge outlet with the neck of the bag, and a rigid member supporting the bag end of the flexible tube so as to constrain said tube end to move in unison with the handle and thereby relieve the bag neck of strains.

6. In a suction cleaner, a body having a discharge outlet, a handle hingedly mounted with reference to the said body, a'porous paper dust collecting and air filtering bag adapted to be carriedby the handle and having a reduced neck, a

flexible tube connecting the discharge outlet with the neck of the bag, and means for rigidly supporting the bag neck at a fixed distance from the handle.

7. In a suction cleaner, a body unit having a fan casing outlet, a handle hingedly mounted with reference to the body unit, a porous paper dust collecting and air filtering bag, a flexible tube connected to said fan outlet and communicating with the bag mouth, a rigid connection 1 between the handle and that end of the flexible tube remote from the fan outlet so that on pivoting the handle the end'of the tube rigidly attached thereto is constrained to move therewith, and a coupling provided at the end of the tube to eifect a connection between the bag and the tube, the upper end of the bag being connected to the handle.

8. In a suction cleaner, a body unit including a fan casing outlet, a flexible tube communicating with said outlet at one end, a handle hingedly mounted with reference to the body unit, means rigidly connecting the other end of said tube to the handle in fixed relation thereto, and enforcing said other end to move in unison with the handle, and a porous paper dust collecting and air filtering bag an upper region of which is suspended from the handle and a lower region of which has an inlet neck communicating with said other end of the tube and detachable therefrom while the latter remains fixed relative to the handle. a

9. A suction cleaner having a swiveled handle and a fabric bag adapted to be connected with the exhaust of said suction cleaner and to be supported at its upper end to said handle, in combination with stiffening means longitudinally coextensive with said bag to prevent flexing of said bag during the manipulation of said handle, and a flexible connector extending between the exhaust of said suction cleaner and said bag forming the locus of flexibility between the exhaust of said suction cleaner and the lower end of said bag.

10. A suction cleaner having a swiveled handle, a dust collecting bag comprised of two coacting layers of fabric, one within the other, adapted to be connected with the exhaust of said suction cleaner and attached at its upper end to said handle, in combination with 'stiflening means longitudinally coextensive with said bag to prevent flexing of said bag during manipulation of said handle, and a flexible connector extending between the exhaust of said suction cleaner and said bag, forming the locus of flexibility between the exhaust of said suction cleaner and the lower end of said bag;

11.A suction cleanerhaving a swiveled handle and a dust collector comprising a pair of coacting layers of fabric,'one within the other, adapted longitudinally coextensive with the Outer layer -of fabric to prevent flexing of said layers of fabric during manipulation of said handle, and a flexible connector extending between the exhaust of said suction cleaner and the mouth of said dust collector forming the locus of flexibility between the exhaust of said suction cleaner and the lower end of said dust collector.

12. A suction cleaner having a swiveled handle, and a porous fabric bag adapted to be connected with the exhaust outlet of the suction cleaner and attached at its upper end to said handle, in combination with a stiff member carried by the handle and serving to prevent flexing of said bag during manipulation of said handle, a flexible tube connected at one end with said exhaust and supported at the other by said stifl member, and a coupling member communicating at one end with said flexible tube and at the other with the mouth of said bag, said flexible tube forming the locus of flexibility between the exhaust of said suction cleanerand the lower end of said bag.

13. A suction cleaner having a fixed exhaust outlet, an elongated member hinged to said cleaner, a connector unyieldin gly supported by said member, a flexible tubular member secured to and communicating with said exhaust outlet at one end, the other end being attached to the said connector, said connector having means for detachably supporting the open mouth of a flexible bag in communication with said flexible tubular member, whereby said member may be swung without flexing or straining the bag.

'14. A portable suction cleaner, including a cleaning tool, suction producing means adapted to be operatively connected to the cleaning tool and having an exhaust outlet, a casing for said suction producing means, a handle carried by the cleaner and movable with respect to the suction producing means, a rigid guard frame carried by the handle, a dust collector bag carried by the guard frame, a flexible conduit connecting the mouth of the'dust bag and the exhaust outlet, and a bracket carried by the casing of the suction producing means,-said guard frame being hinged to said bracket, the axis of the hinge passing through the said flexible conduit;

15. In a portable electrically operated suction cleaner, including a motor driven fan, a fan casing having a suction inlet and exhaust outlet, a cleaning tool operatively connectible to the suction inlet, and a handle carried by the'cleaner; the improvement which comprises a rigid hollow guard frame carried by the handle, an electric conduit passing through the guard frame for supplying current to the motor, and a dust collector bag carried within said guard frame.

16. A guard for the dust collector bag of a portable electric suction cleaner, comprising a hollow frame adapted to enclose three sides of the dust collector, and serving as a housing for an electric conduit for supplying the electric motor of the suction cleaner.

17. In a portable suction cleaner having a handle movable with reference to the body of the cleaner and an exhaust outlet for dust laden air; a dust filtering bag composed of porous material which is. inexpensive but of insumcient strength,- to withstand the repeated bendings 'which would occur if the mouth of the bag were connected directly to. the cleaner outlet, a flexible tubular member connecting the mouth of the bag with said outlet, and a rigid bag supporting member beneath and attached to the handle and pivotaliy connected to the cleaner adjacent said outlet. I

18. In a portable suction cleaner, including a cleaning tool, suction producing means adapted to be operatively connected to the cleaning tool and having an exhaust outlet, a handle carried by the cleaner and movable with respect to the suction producing means; a rigid guard frame beneath and attached to the handle, a porous, paper dust collector bag carried by the guard frame, a flexible conduit connecting the mouth of the dust bag and the exhaust outlet, and a bracket carried by the casing of the suction producing means, said guard frame being hinged to said bracket.

19. In a portable suction cleaner, an exhaust outlet pipe for dust laden air, a handle movable with reference to the body of the cleaner; coupling and supporting means for attachment of a dust filtering bag to the cleaner, comprising a .ring having a hinged connection with the outlet pipe, a flexible tubular member connecting said ring and outlet pipe, an arm beneath and attached to said handle, rigidly connected to said ring and adapted to support said bag at one end, and means for detachably connecting the other end of the bag thereto.

20. In a device of the character described, a suction cleaner body having a fixed dust outlet, a handle and a bar pivotally connected to said cleaner, a rigid connection between the bar and handle spaced from the cleaner, a porous dust collecting and air filtering bag supported beneath the handle, a coupling ring connecting the bag andv bar and spaced from the body of the cleaner, and a flexible conduit connecting and communieating with the cleaner outlet and bag, the end of the conduit connected with the bag supported by the bar.

21. A suction cleaner body having a fixed dust outlet, a handle and an elongated bag-supporting member pivotally connected to said cleaner body, said bag-supporting member being beneath the handle and connected thereto, a connector unyieldingly supported by said member, a flexible tubular member secured to and communicating with said dust outlet at one end, the other end being attachedto the saidconnector, said connector having means for detachably supporting the open mouth of a flexible bag in communication with said flexible tubular member, whereby said handle and bag-supporting member may be swung without flexing or straining the bag.

22. In a portable suction cleaner having a fixed exhaust outlet for dust-laden air and a pivoted handle movable with reference to the exhaust outlet; a porous paper dust filtering bag, a flexible non-porous tubular member connecting the bag mouth with said fixed outlet, a rigid bag supporting member beneath and attached to the handle, and means for detachably securing the bag to said supporting member.

23. In a portable suction cleaner, a body portion having an outlet for dust laden air, a handle movable with reference to the body of the cleaner; a rigid member beneath and attached to the handle and pivotally connected to the body of the cleaner, a porous paper dust collecting bag carried by the rigid member, and a flexible conduit connecting the mouth of the bag and said outlet.

24. A suction cleaner as set forth in claim 23, wherein the handle and rigid member swing about the same pivot.

, 25. A suction cleaner as set forth in claim 23, wherein the handle and rigid member swing about an axis passing through the flexible tube.

26. In a portable suction cleaner, a body including a source of suction, a suction nozzle adapted to be placed in communication with said source of suction, an outlet for dust laden with air, a handle movable with reference to the cleaner body, a rigid member beneath and attached to the handle and pivotally connected to the body of the cleaner, a porous paperdust collecting bag attached to said rigid member, and a flexible tubular member connecting the mouth of the bag with said outlet.

2'7, A portable suction cleaner as defined in claim 26, wherein the handle is hollow and is adapted to be placed in communication with the source of suction through a flexible conduit, and valve means are provided for selectively connecting the nozzle and said handle to the source of suction.

28. In a portable suction cleaner, a body portion including an exhaust outlet for dust laden air, a handle movable with reference to the body of the cleaner; a pair of spaced lugs extending rearwardly from the body portion adjacent said outlet, a rigid member beneath and attached to the handle having means pivotally connected to said lugs, a porous paper air filtering bag carried by said rigid member, a connector ring carried by said rigid member and fitand connected to the other of said suction pas-' sages by means of a flexible tube, a rigid member beneath and attached to said handle and pivotally connected to the body of the cleaner, a porous air filtering bag carried by said rigid member, a connector ring carried by said rigid member and fitting within the mouth of the bag. and a flexible conduit connecting said ring with the fan discharge outlet. f

DANIEL Jamison answer-E. 

